I'm considering replacing my road shoes, finally, and I was looking at the Fi'zi:k R3 Uomo Carbon Road. I'm in Dubai. No one in my region carries them in stock, so there is little possibility of seeing them, or fitting them before I purchase, unless I wait another 6 months for our trip home.

I am aware that purchasing them sight unseen is foolish, but I may do it anyway.

Do any of you have experience with the shoe? Does it fit to a reasonable degree of accuracy with the Euro standard, so if I order my usual size they will likely fit?

What about quality? I'm usually massively impressed with the quality of products that Fi'zi:k produces, but this is a new product for them.

How are you so sure that you want this shoe without even trying it on? Is the price that much better than what your LBS is carrying? Are they (supposed to be) really superior shoes? Unless it is a shoe you have used before, I can't see any advantage buying a shoe that I've never tried on. Even if they are really good shoes at a great price, what happens if they just don't fit right on your foot. If they have a good return policy, it might be worth it, if you don't mind going through the trouble.
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KibbeeJul 7 '11 at 18:28

I'm not sure. My LBS only carries one brand of shoes(Scott), and I hate them. They don't fit well for me, and their graphic designer should be fired.
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zenbike♦Jul 7 '11 at 22:28

As for the F'izi:k shoes, I want them to fit well, which is why I'm asking about the way they fit, if anything they are far more expensive than my local options, but they are supposed to be a superior quality and performance shoe. They also are superbly designed visually. So if they fit well, and the quality is as good as I hear, I want to try them.
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zenbike♦Jul 7 '11 at 22:32

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Alas, so many bicycle products are hard to find - as they're often specialty items. (I've never worn a bicycle-specific shoe in my life, but I mail-order bib shorts every year or so and I'm nervous about it every single time.) No matter how much research you do, eventually you have to just order something on faith. I recommend always checking the store's return policy before ordering.
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Neil FeinJul 20 '11 at 4:52

3 Answers
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The R1 especially needs a bit of wearing in to reshape the leather and custom Sidas insert to the shape of your specific foot.

The included insert is rather extreme and may be initially painful but quickly reshapes to the shape of your foot after a few hours of use. I tried my own Superfeet inserts but went back to the one that ships with the shoe.

The shoe has several minor adjustments that can be made (tongue padding, straps, insert).

There are several form-fitting features that really grip the foot in a comfortable way (especially the heel).

Subjectively, they perform really well. There's the sensation that all foot movement goes right to the pedals and into pure speed.

Detail:

The local bike shop had the R3 in stock. I tried their largest size (44.5) and they felt about right, so I ordered the R1 in the hope that they would fit the same. I wish they had the 45 to compare, but I went with the 44.5 anyway.

I received the R1 a few days later and they seemed a bit tighter than the R3, especially in length. However, I'm told this is intentional since the R1 is all kangaroo leather and will stretch a bit.

They immediately felt really comfortable for my foot. Bike shoes are hard to review since foot shapes and sizes are different for everyone. The built-in arch support is very tall at first, but quickly changes to fit your specific foot. I didn't use any heat treatment other than just wearing the shoe on a few rides.

I did a 50km ride and felt great, then (possibly unwisely) a 250km ultramarathon (with 3km of vertical over three mountain passes). Other than a preexisting issue with a bone in my right pinky toe, the shoes were extremely comfortable and performed very well. I was very happy to be in this shoe.

Sizing is tricky. The R3 is a bit longer than the R1 since it's not made to stretch at all. The R1 is supposed to stretch a bit in both length and toebox width over the first few weeks of use.

Apparently they run big, maybe even a full size big compared to Sidi. I wear a 45 in Sidi and the 44.5 in Fizik was comfortable for me.

The grip that this shoe has on the heel is incredibly firm without being uncomfortable. I find that I can leave the straps fairly loose and still get good power on the pedals throughout the full stroke.

They were very squeaky at first with my Speedplay pedals, but a bit of Carbon paste between the cleat and shoe eliminated all squeaks.

Overall, I'm very happy with this shoe. I plan to use them for 5-10 years, so the price was well worth it for me. It's probably almost impossible to try the R1 in a store (they won't stock it), but you may be able to find an R3 to try on.

Please let me know what you think when you have a few rides on them. I'm in Dubai, so ordering is a hassle. I want as much info as I can get. And, really, thanks a lot for taking the effort to answer me.
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zenbike♦Jul 18 '11 at 7:32

I appreciate the answer. I'm choosing the first answer given,since the information is similar. I'll let you know how it goes. :)
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zenbike♦Jul 20 '11 at 17:47

I am in the process of purchasing these and I chose them over the Mavic Zxelium Ultimates which are at least $100.00 more here in the U.S.. They do run big by at least .5 to 1.0 full size.

Another thing to mention is that they have a larger arch support than I have ever felt before in any road shoes. This could be of some concern for some as I have a friend who purchased them and found that he could not wear them due to the arch. I have read that you could put in a thin shoe insert to help alleviate some of the arch.

The toe box is wide which makes the shoe feel roomy but not loose. The heel cup fits very close (no heel movement).

The quality and craftmanship is exceptional. You get a lot of shoe for your money.

I appreciate the answer. I'm choosing the first answer given,since the information is similar. I'll let you know how it goes. :)
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zenbike♦Jul 20 '11 at 17:47

I finally picked up the R3's on Friday and have already done a 100 mile ride in them. If your feet are similar to mine then you are going to love these. I normally wear a 41.5 and went with the 41 and it fits just right. the cut of the shoe is so form fitting, and they are so rigid that it feels like all your energy is being used efficiently.
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jtaylor350zAug 2 '11 at 18:19

I just bought the same shoe (R3) and can tell you the fit is "spot on". They provide a US size on the box and it's very accurate. Many shoes, like "skate shoes
" employ Vanity size techniques such as a 12 is really an 11 so the kids think they have bigger feet and Converse Chucks run a size larger.